


Lost and Found

by SlantedKnitting



Series: merlin memory month 2019 [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Gen, Modern Era, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 21:50:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18973324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlantedKnitting/pseuds/SlantedKnitting
Summary: Arthur and Morgana get lost in the woods, and... is that tree talking?





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Merlin Memory Month](https://merlinmemorymonth.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.
> 
> Day 8, Path 1: Territory

Arthur stepped on a stick, and it cracked under his foot. He glanced around, startled by the noise until he realised where it had come from.

"You're such a wimp," Morgana said, walking up next to him.

"Shut up."

"What are you so freaked out about?"

"I don't know, Morgana, how about rabid wolves? Scary woodsmen with large knives?"

"Those are two very specific and different things."

"You asked."

"We're on our own property," she pointed out.

"Are we?" Arthur asked. "Do you have any idea where we are, which direction we're going in, how to get back home?"

"Yes," Morgana said defensively.

Arthur could tell she was lying.

"Okay, how about we stop here." Arthur grabbed a few sticks off the ground and put them into a pile. "Here's home base. You go 100 paces that way, I'll go 100 paces this way, and then we meet back here and see if we've found anything."

"That sounds like a horrible idea."

"It's getting dark," Arthur said. "What other ideas do you have?"

Morgana sighed and added a few more sticks to the pile.

"All right," she agreed.

"All right." Arthur turned and started walking off in the opposite direction as Morgana, counting to himself.

_"Arthur…"_

Arthur looked around, wondering what weird trick Morgana was playing on him. That had sounded like a man's voice. And it had sounded so close.

_"Arthur…"_

Arthur froze. That voice had definitely come from right next to him. But there wasn't anything right next to him except a large tree.

_"Arthur…"_

"…Yes?"

Arthur took a step closer to the tree. He pressed his palm to the trunk, and it vibrated underneath his fingertips.

_"Arthur…"_

The voice was definitely coming from the tree.

"Have I completely lost my mind?" he asked.

_"Merlin…"_

"Who the fuck is Merlin?"

The bark of the tree shifted slightly, morphing into something else, and Arthur stepped back.

Slowly, a face—that was definitely a human face—emerged from the tree.

It looked… familiar.

"Arthur," the face said. "It's Merlin."

Against his better judgement, Arthur put his hand back on the tree. It warmed under his skin, and he fell onto his knees as his memories slammed into him.

"Merlin," he gasped, clutching his head. "Merlin."

Merlin emerged fully from the tree and knelt down, laying his hands on Arthur's back.

"What is happening?" Arthur asked, squeezing his eyes tight. He could see _everything_ —every suit of armour, every sword, every battle. And every moment with Merlin, bossing him around, taking his council, dying in his arms.

"Arthur," Merlin said gently, and the onslaught ceased.

Arthur put his hands on the ground and panted, trying to make sense of this. Merlin— _Merlin_ —had just emerged from a tree after 1,500 years. And Arthur was lost on a hike.

Arthur stood shakily and leaned against the tree for support. How could he not have known who he was and where he came from? How could he have forgotten Merlin?

"It's you," Merlin said wondrously, stepping closer and examining Arthur's face.

"It's _you_ ," Arthur said, and then he pulled Merlin in for a hug. "What the fuck is happening?" He still felt dizzy.

Merlin chuckled, not letting Arthur go. "I was waiting for you."

"Here?"

"This has been Pendragon territory for centuries. Where else?"

"Why were you in a damn tree?"

Merlin stepped back, giving Arthur his space. "It's a long story."

"Do you have somewhere else to be?"

Merlin smiled, and Arthur pulled him back in for a hug. Part of him wondered if he'd fallen and hit his head, but most of him knew that this was real. Merlin was certainly real. He was solid and warm in Arthur's arms, and he smelled of leaves and dirt. He was there, right then, and he was clutching Arthur with a desperation that belied his calm demeanor.

"ARTHUR!"

Arthur let go of Merlin, startled back into his reality. "That's Morgana. We're, um… we're lost."

"You're not lost."

"Do you know how to get back to the house?"

"Of course." Merlin pointed in the direction of Morgana's voice. "It's that way."

"I don't know how I'm going explain you to her."

"You won't have to," Merlin assured him. "She'll remember me."

"That might not be a good thing," Arthur pointed out.

Merlin shrugged. "It'll be fine." He held out his hand. "Come on."

Arthur took his hand, feeling something buzzing or humming or brewing in his veins. He wondered how he had ever missed it before, back then.

Merlin led the way back to the pile of sticks, and Morgana just rolled her eyes when she saw him.


End file.
